More than half of the 23 players who assembled Monday at StubHub Center for the annual January U.S. Men’s National Team Camp will almost assuredly have their World Cup dreams dashed when the roster is announced in May ahead of this summer’s tournament.

Many of the MLS-heavy contingent on hand know they are merely making up the numbers in the domestic off-season while first-team regulars are busy in Europe plying their trade for their club teams.

But one player could be forgiven for dreaming of being in Brazil a little more than most — former Galaxy midfielder Mike Magee.

Last year’s MLS MVP was unexpectedly called into camp for the first time in nine years — former national team coach Bruce Arena issued the invite back then — and at age 29 has a shot at earning his first U.S. cap Feb. 1 in Carson against South Korea.

The potential presence of the locally popular player in the starting 11 could well goose the attendance for a game that has already seen 15,000 tickets sold for the 27,000-capacity venue.

Magee was a talismanic player for the Galaxy during his five years with the club, whether he was putting in a successful emergency stint in goal or leading the charge against the opposition’s net.

Magee scored six goals in 10 MLS appearances for the Galaxy last season before being traded to the Chicago Fire, where he finished his most productive-ever season with 21 goals.

“I don’t know why, at least, he doesn’t get an opportunity,” MLS coach Jason Kreis was quoted as saying four years ago, just before the last World Cup.

Kreis was talking about former Galaxy striker Edson Buddle at the time, who had scored a league-record seven goals in the opening four games of the season, but his words could just as well apply to Magee today.

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Buddle went on to secure a spot at the 2010 World Cup, of course, seven years after making an 11-minute appearance for the U.S. in his only previous national team outing.

Former Galaxy striker Herculez Gomez took a similarly unlikely path to the World Cup that year, too. He had played a combined 67 national team minutes in two games three years earlier before his eye-catching scoring exploits in Mexico persuaded then-U.S. coach Bob Bradley to add him to his World Cup squad.

Whether that will be the case for Magee, too, remains to be seen, of course.

Perhaps former teammate Robbie Keane played a role in getting Magee his chance.

The Galaxy striker said recently in his homeland that Ireland may want to give an opportunity to the prolific Magee — who qualifies to play for the nation because of his Irish heritage — if U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann was going to continue ignoring the player.

But perhaps Klinsmann is also having second thoughts about the likely World Cup contributions from such other candidates as Jozy Altidore, who is having a goal-shy season on goal-averse EPL team Sunderland.

Magee may be a World Cup longshot, but he has the right attitude.

“I have a chance,” he said. “I’m motivated to leave a footprint on this team.”

Etc.

The Galaxy learned Monday they will host Club Tijuana on March 12 in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals, with the return date set for March 18 in Tijuana. ... The Galaxy also confirmed Monday that Kenny Arena — Bruce’s son — will rejoin the team as an assistant coach. Arena spent the last two years as head coach at Florida International University.